If you think your job is hard, try working as a cataloging librarian for the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. for a day.
With over 20 million books at your fingertips, it’s sure to be an overwhelming experience.
But that’s what Oxford resident Nancy Emery did for 4? years, and she enjoyed every minute of it.
‘It was really, really interesting,? she said. ‘I loved the work.?
The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is considered the research arm for Congress, although scholars and those doing in-depth research frequent the collection of more than 134 million items.
The library was established in 1800 inside the Capitol Building. In 1814, President Thomas Jefferson offered his personal library after British troops set fire to the building, destroying all 3,000 volumes that were being housed.
Since then, the library has spread into three buildings in Washington D.C. But books aren’t the only items available for research. There’s sheet music, prints, photographs and music, just to name a few.
It’s also home to the largest rare book collection in North America, including a Gutenberg Bible and various presidential papers.
‘Anything anybody wants to research in-depth and needs to do great research would use this library,? Emery said.
Emery, who grew up in Troy, worked on the library’s Social Sciences Division Law Team, where she cataloged European law materials, as well as law materials from other English-speaking countries.
According to their website, the Library of Congress? law library has about 2.5 million items on its shelves.
Having a vast knowledge of the German language helped her obtain her position as one of 300 cataloging librarians at the Library of Congress.
As a cataloging librarian, Emery would ‘glean information? from a book’s title page,indexes, covers and bibliographies to derive a standard, ‘authorized? name for them to make it easier to research.
‘We create authority records for all of those elements so that they can be used over again in future bibliographic records, like automated catalog cards,? she said. ‘It’s very, very detailed.?
Emery has a master’s degree in psychology from Old Dominion University in Virginia and another one in library science from the University of Michigan.
Having lived in Germany on two occasions, Emery was a prime candidate for working at the Library of Congress, although she said there are many people there who are ‘way more qualified? than her.
The closest Emery came to ‘rubbing shoulders? with any scholars or Congressmen/women was when she attended lectures and panels at the library, where she saw folks like Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon’s Secretary of State and feminist/author Betty Friedan.
Because the Library of Congress is ‘steeped in habit and pattern and tradition,? Emery said they’ve been very slow-moving when it comes to advancing to the technology of today.
‘Computer technology that other university libraries had were way ahead of the library,? she said. ‘The changes that are now occurring are in reaction to technological innovation and having been behind for so long.?
Emery decided to leave her position at the Library of Congress because she didn’t want to work full-time for an ‘institution? anymore.
‘I need a team, or I’m a leader,? she said. ‘That kind of personality did not fit well in a rigid, hierarchical, old-fashioned system.?
For now, Emery plans to spend her time doing free-lance proofreading and copy editing and is looking into a position at Oakland University’s library.